solitaire
by walaakongkwenta
Summary: .the group will be having atrip..are all of them ready for it..or some will find themselves playing solitaire?
1. Prologue: Klondike

**Author's notes: I drafted this fic last October 28 2005. yeah..that's right. I got the inspiration from playing ..um..enough of the stupid rantings..haha..**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any, just the fic**

**Solitaire: Prologue- Klondike**

"WHAT?"

Recca and Domon looked up from the deck of cards they were playing to a baffled-looking Fuuko. The fuujin wielder had just come over Kagero's house to look at the gang. She had been busy with her family's reunion last week somewhere in Kyoto that she hadn't had any news from them. So in the afternoon that day, there she was, rushing and when she had opened the door, she had found Domon and Recca fighting over the cards, Ganko dressing Kondo, Yanagi helping Kagero fix the table for snacks, and Mikagami as usual reading a book. Recca had told her that they were about to go to Kurei's domain.

"Why the 'what' Fuuko? Aren't you excited?" Recca asked.

"Of course I am," Fuuko said sarcastically, scratching her scalp. "But why Recca, why there?"

"Vacation will do us good, Fuuko-san. Don't you like that? We gonna have time together," Domon said as he grinned at her from his fan of cards.

"Shut up baka, but from all the places—"

"Are you afraid?" Koganei suddenly landed beside her holding a cup of tea. "For you, Fuuko-neechan".

"Arigatou.." Fuuko replied and dragged her bag along. The trio looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

"Sure not the Fuuko," Recca commented.

"Yeah. Wonder why she reacted like that," Domon seconded.

But Kaoru Koganei was thinking differently. _'Who was she afraid of?'_

At the far end of the room, Fuuko passed by Mikagami towards the kitchen. Kagero and Yanagi only confirmed what Recca and the others had said. Fuuko sighed for the nth time as she went out of the kitchen slowly. Ganko was showing Mikagami the already-new-dressed-Kondo. The teen merely nodded.

_Pitty Ganko to expect she'd get a good reply from Mr. Iceman..._

As if sensing her thoughts, both man and girl looked at her.

"Fuuko-neechan, what's wrong?"

"Nothing imotou, just tired."

Ganko smiled, showed her Kondo (the older girl smiled as a compliment) and walked away. Fuuko turned to Mikagami, who returned to his book. "Hey, Mi-chan."

A nod.

"Yeah right. Shouldn't expect something greater from you...anyway, you in favor of this trip?"

"What is it to you if am or not in favor of this trip?" Mikagami lazily answered, only stressing the last word.

"Mi-chan, I need someone to talk to, at least decently."

Mikagami watched the purple haired wind wielder through the edge of his book. Fuuko met his gaze and the ice blue eyes stared back with the what's-that-supposed-to-mean look.

"Hey, didn't mean to offend the Ice King, no sir! I only want to know if I have someone with me who isn't into this trip."

Silence...Fuuko wondered if she conveyed her meaning to her comrade. She was about to reply when…

"You got me," came the unexpected reply from Tokiya.

**AN: Ok I now it's pretty short for a prologue but I don't believe I must use a very long one...but I like the title...what do you think…forgive the typos...flames and hate mails are always welcome.**

**Klondike- the basic solitaire**


	2. Chapter1: I don't know

**A/N: Finally, after some months…grr...blame the schoolwork, I got pretty loaded... I have already made a draft for this but got no time to type...at least...I got the chance to type this now after those term papers...thanks for the previous reviews...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any…just the fic...as always..**

**Chapter 1: I don't know.**

Fuuko Kirisawa wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead as she looked at the calendar posted at her door. Her stare lingered at a teddy bear sticker stuck unto May 11. Her lips stretched to a smile-a genuine one: one of the few smiles she had been able to produce after the last week's news-despite herself.

Ganko, accompanied by Kaoru, came over to her house last week just to make sure she would come to the trip and not disappoint the gang. Kaoru came from the Hanabishi's residence, Ganko from the Sakoshita's. She had been staying there for a couple of weeks.

"There," Ganko had said as she stuck the bear, "To remind you that we'll be waiting."

Kaoru at least had been sensitive enough to say something to her behind Ganko's back. "Neechan, I'm sure whatever the matter bothers you, you can face it. We're gonna help you."

"Arigatou, Kaoru-chan."

Fuuko turned her attention to her cluttered room. Her drawers were either fully or half opened. Sweaters and jeans were on the floor and on the bed. Crumpled papers were half-heartedly swept to a corner of the room. Heaps and heaps of junk foods occupied the study table and the chairs. So how would she pack her things?

She felt for her Fuujin and kept that way, not moving, not even breathing, not being aware that she had already triggered curiosity among members of her gang.

Another bead of sweat escaped her from the back of her neck down to her spine, wetting her already sweat-soaked shirt. She unzipped her black bag pack and lazily slumped to the floor.

_'Alas, I could be living a peaceful life after that UBS tournament...why do we have to go back__.."_

…

"Do you think she'll come?"

"Ah," Recca scratched his nape, toppling his usual cap for that matter. "That, I usually don't get about her. Once you think she's predictable, next thing you know she's outta there-"

"Saying that she's crazy would be a greater help," Kondo piped in. "WAAHH!"

Ganko held Kondo's neck and tried to shake him. "Say that again to my neechan and I'll take the life out of you!"

"Good thing you've said that Ganko. I wanna beat that thing and shred it to pieces," Kaoru said, a-matter-of-factly, in a very serious tone.

"Shuddup, you're just a kid-"Kondo chirped, oblivious to the beating he was getting from Ganko. Kaoru raised his Kougan-Anki. "Let me have that Kaoru-chan, I'll tear him to pieces myself!" Ganko declared.

"AAHHH!"

The older guys shook their heads and muttered "kids" under their breaths.

"It's a pity though, she can't come," Yanagi said in her sweet voice. "It is really weird, though. Why in the world she does not want to be in a trip, and we even thought she'd be happy about it."

"Hai, Hime, Fuuko got a stomach for adventures."

"Fuuko won't come if she has a reason not to. We just have to accept that," Kagero voiced the thought that everybody had but was kept inside. To this, several heads nodded.

Mikagami Tokiya set an icy glare at the van waiting for its passengers. They, Recca and him, had already put their things inside and had waited for the others. Ishijima had come late, obviously not wanting to be the carrier of those bulky bags to the trunk of the van. Tokiya smirked. A while back, Recca told him how queer it was for someone as free as Fuuko to be so stubborn for a 'vacation'. Despite himself, Tokiya admired how the flame caster respected his comrades for what they are and not only because of their powers

A sigh. "_If that is the case, then must we go_?"

Tokiya's glare immediately transferred to the owner of the voice. "HE" was not a part of the gang. Tokiya knew he met him somewhere, he just couldn't remember. Funny that his memory was clouded. A result of, he once said to himself, hanging around with monkeys.

"Can't we still wait for a moment," Ganko pleaded to the man with her puppy dog eyes. The man smiled at her and nodded. Tokiya noticed the closeness and sweetness of the 'kids' to this man (but Ganko and Kaoru could get along with anyone they liked). He also noticed Hanabishi, Ishijima and Kagero's respect for this guy. Looking at him, he noted nothing extraordinary from the man except for his violet hair and purple eyes, _'not unlike Fuuko's'_ Tokiya noted. He kept his stance checked and calmly put his hands in his khaki pants' pockets. He felt a vague trace of controlled aura emanating from the man. 'Just in case.'

5 minutes,...eight minutes...ten..15..

"I guess that's it. Well we should not push her to come with us. Let's go," Recca said, a hint of resignation in his voice and everyone took that little hint and they all (may I exclude the 'man' and Mikagami) sighed. Ganko stifled a sob as she ran towards the van. Yanagi Sakoshita ran after the little girl and tried to comfort her.

"How could she break Ganko's heart," Recca uttered, unconsciously in a voice loud enough for someone beside him to hear.

"Niisan, I believe she did not intend to do so," Kaoru said confidently yet his voice was hoping...

_Where art though,_ Mikagami smirked at his own thought. What poetic words for the wind wielder. _She could have at least the decency to tell everybody she was not coming at all_. But had she not shown her objections already?

**"Whatever the matter that bothers Fuuko, it better be a good reason. It must be."**

_Yeah. Funny_. It was though this man has the same brain cells Mikagami has. Why, they thought the same way.

"Don't tell me she's going to spoil OUR date! I made this all possible for her," Ishijima bawled to everybody's headache.

A massive sweat drop, with Kaoru's whisper "Good thing then that neechan did not come at all."

Suddenly a flying suitcase smashed Ishijima's face and he hit the ground with lots of dust clouds. "Yeah. Imagine me with that nose-ringed gorilla," came in the voice and in that instant, the petite figure of Fuuko appeared. Then everybody's face glowed.

"Neechan!" Ganko cried.

"Fuuko!"

"Sorry for keeping you waiting. But I'm here," Fuuko said while embracing Ganko.

"Where have you been?"

Domon suddenly stood up and brushed some dust from his shirt. In a very serious tone: "Then we can have a date that we like to have for a long time now."

"Shuddup you baka or you wanna have a taste of my fuujin?"

**"So you have decided to come; that's good."**

Tokiya's eyes narrowed at the sentence. Fuuko started at the person's voice. _Typically a sentence 'only' Tokiya Mkagami can say_. She smiled, but when she turned...

The same built, probably more muscular, same long hair but it was untied and not silver. The facial features were softer.

Fuuko's eyes widened as she saw those familiar orbs and she felt her heart beat faster than it should, the blood already pulsing through a vein in her temple. She swallowed a hard lump inside her throat and in a face and a voice, she prayed nobody would doubt, she greeted the man.

"Ogenki desu ka, Raiha-san."

_Raiha..._

_Raiha.._.

"Ogenki desu ka, Kirisawa-san."

The gang watched the exchange of greetings indifferently. Tokiya, however, kept his hands in his pockets. _'Just in case.'_

_-TBC-_

**A/N again:**

**I'm not an expert in tofuurai fic...forgive me...and if this chapter is so short wait for the seond...I'm working on it...thanks for the school vacation...I welcome it with open arms...shout-outs, flames, reviews and whatnot just click the review button and off you go…ja**_._

_Edited: 03 december 2010_


	3. Chapter2: dreading

**A/N: alright. I know it has been a long time since I last updated this. Oh dear. I might have lost the few readers I had but anyway…life still goes on. Thanks to some of my inspirations who decided to move on with their fics no matter how long their hiatuses were.**

**Disclaimer: as always. I don't own any characters, nor do you, just the fic. Don't sue me**

**SOLITAIRE**

Chapter 2.

'_The rest are having fun but why can't you? _

The Hokage Clan had started rejoicing at the time Fuuko joined their trip. There had been lots of jeers, cat calls, and teasing. The fun had continued in Kurei's private ship. Recca and Domon had already invaded the kitchen and taken all the edible items there. Kaoru Koganei had fun giving ungodly names to the species of dolphins he had seen through his telescope. Ganko, Yanagi, and Kagero had amused themselves looking at the different parts of the ship. Fuuko had an excuse from this as she had needed to go to the bathroom to empty her stomach. Even Miyagi had something to look or glare upon as he had stridden along the hallways admiring the paintings.

And as she traipsed the hallway to God-knows-where, she knew the clan members were raising their petty wine goblets to her name and to the nameless that was able to persuade her to come.

_They are all partying like maniacs and you know you could be a part of them only if you weren't thinking of what you are thinking. Kirisawa, if you are not going to get a good grip of yourself you'll really lose it.'_

"Well, the weather sure doesn't help!" she spat.

Indeed, as soon as she said those words, the skies sent a mighty rumble as if agreeing. It sent shivers to Fuuko's spine. From where she stood, none other than the deck of the ship, she watched as lightning played with the clouds and the wind with the sea. She felt she was going to have another surge of sea sickness. Goodness knows how much she had thrown up already. And what was her last meal? Breakfast?

"Neechan, are you sick?"

She woke up with a start from her reverie. She blinked at the unmoved storm and looked at the owner of the voice. "Ganko? How long have you been there?"

"I have been following you for several minutes now," the blonde girl panted. "You told me you would lead me to the rooms. We passed so many rooms already. Is this where I'll sleep tonight?" She accusingly said all of these with a well placed pout to her supposed-to-be-more-favored-than-Yanagi-Sakoshita-nee-chan.

"Gomen nasai, imotousan. I'm lost in my own thoughts—"

"That is new as I have never heard a monkey thinking," Tokiya Mikagami's voice came out of nowhere. The Ensui master leaped lightly from the upper portion of the deck. He landed gracefully beside Ganko and gave a stony glare at Fuuko before picking the younger girl up.

"Hey Mi-chan. Not because you have the highest IQ here, you can belittle me. I can think too for your information!"

"Well, dragging Ganko to the storm doesn't show it."

Fuuko guiltily looked at the sleepy Ganko who took refuge on Mikagami's shoulders, nestling her blonde tresses on his neck. Instead of lashing at Tokiya Mikagami with her own well-choiced curses, Fuuko attempted to reach for her "adopted" sister.

The ship lurched all of a sudden that she lost her balance. She was about to slip and was actually preparing to accept her fall (and body ache afterward) when she was saved from a total disgrace. She didn't even feel her legs hit the floor. In fact she did not really fall. She gratefully sighed…

Only to find out…

That Tokiya saved her…

By holding her head steadily with his free hand.

And what was worse was he held her an arm's length as if afraid she would contaminate him with some unexplainable and incurable disease.

"Now, I have confirmed it. I hate you. And give me Ganko, I'll take her to her room!" She made a gesture to push his hand aside but he had already drawn them. He was really avoiding contact.

Tokiya only gave her an in-that-state-smirk and proceeded to carry Ganko to the more comfortable confines of the ship. Fuuko could only glare at his retreating back. She only had a minute to ponder how patient Mikagami could be to Ganko when she was already ruining his suit particularly at the neck area. The other members could not even touch his sleeve. However, these thoughts got clouded by more serious things. There were so many things bothering her mind now.

She should kill Mikagami for insulting her.

She should thank Mikagami for bringing the girl to the room since she, the fuujin wielder was not feeling well

She was an irresponsible sister

She admitted that she was lucky having the Ice Block at the right place at the right time. Had he been more of a gentleman, he could have earned himself a most prized "Fuuko's Thank You."

"Kuso…"

She braved her sea sickness and subjected herself to the elements of the storm. Probably it would help clear her mind. Holding to the railings, she eased her way to the more open part of the deck. She lifted her head to the skies and welcomed the first drops of rain with her upturned face. As the cold water numb the cold feeling inside her, she listened to the howling of wind at a distance. Water and Wind—they make a good tandem. Why couldn't she and Mr. I-am-Superior-than-Thou even have a decent conversation?

_And you are actually thinking of Tokiya Mikagami_

_Yeah, I welcome the thought of thinking about Mikagami as long as it doesn't make me think of—_

The rain suddenly stopped there steady pat on her cheeks although she could still hear them hitting the deck. She could still hear her precious wind—with her eyes closed she sensed lighting from a distance—and thunder. She opened her eyes.

_-death._

She jumped away from the owner of the umbrella, away from the violet orbs that surprisingly mirrored hers. "Raiha."

"Most of your friends returned to their cabins already."

Fuuko, the winner of the endless-blabber-game could not even make an incoherent speech.

Before her stood the almighty wielder of raijin, the twin of her madogou. The twin that needed to kill its twin's owner to achieve a stronger power. Fuuko was aware that the wielder was even more dangerous. To what extent she could not find out. Raiha's warm personality coated what power he had. To others, he might be the soft spoken, gentle-eyed, purple-haired, open-version of Mikagami. But to her, he had always been…

_Is it going to be here?_

Raiha smiled at her. "No, Fuuko-san. Our battle will not commence here. It will have its time."

Her eyes widened more. He knew what she was thinking. She gulped. For once in her life she was mortally afraid.

Raiha continued to give her his warm smile. He approached her, still rooted to the spot. He reached for her hand and saw her flinch. He merely gave her the umbrella. Then, he started for the door.

"I have a favor to ask of you," Fuuko finally found her voice. She heard his footsteps stop. Her life passed before her eyes. What had she accomplished so far? Just finishing the UBS. She even would not graduate from high school. "My friends—they—…they should not be involved in this."

"No they won't. The raijin needs only one."

Somehow his answer instead of assuring her left her more afraid and she hated it—being afraid. He was about to step inside when her voice floated in the air. "One more…Don't be kind to me."

It was hardly above whisper, a voice of someone who had accepted her fate. "I'll try." And he left her.

Her eyes remained at the distant storm. Their ship might be steering away from it but she was about to get near the eye. It would be before long.

She touched her hand holding he umbrella.

_So this is how it feels to be alone._

For Fuuko understood well that she was the only one who knew that she did not only agree to this voyage to please her friends. She also agreed to die.

**More a/n: I think the umbrella thingy is quite a stereotypical already. Blah…flame me..**


	4. Chapter3:The house on the hill

**A/N: Well, I remember promising a long chapter for everyone…so here's one. I congratulate myself for having updated this story in less than a month. Haha. Please don't hesitate to tell me when I get characters quite OOC. Arigatou gozaimasu.**

**Disclaimer: I own FoR in my dreams only…Don't sue me.**

**HOUSE ON THE HILL***

Kurei was still the same, wearing his red suit and black boots and long finger nails. His manners didn't change a bit—quite haughty, throwing everyone particularly his half-brother insults of various kinds and degrees.

In fact, the only difference one could observe was his mask or the lack of it.

This, Recca obviously noted. "Pretty proud of your scar now, bro?" he taunted as he went to examine a rare sculpture.

"Touch that one and you'll be filled with scars you won't be proud of."

"You really are Kurei. I thought back in the ship you'd have a different soul. "

"That is close to impossible," Kurei dismissed him with a flick of a hand. He turned to Kagero.

"Daijobuka, Kagero-sama?"

"Daijobu, Kurei-sama. Arigatou."

"Yanagi-chan?"

Yanagi gasped but answered in a firm voice, "I'm all right, Kurei-sama." She tightly held unto Recca's arm.

"Nande, it is as if you did change, Kurei," Recca pointed out.

Kurei smirked, "I thought, since I can't accept our relationship as siblings, and I still remember how you dared compete against me, then I'll transfer the little human affection I have to your loved ones. Even if it means I have to accept how lowly your friends are." His eyes directed to Domon, Fuuko, Mikagami, and Ganko who were still at the entrance. Ganko obviously cowered at his gaze. Kurei wondered whether it was because of his scar or because of the recollection of how cruel he had been.

He had no time to contemplate upon this since he noticed someone was missing. At the time that he was about to ask where Kaoru Koganei was, he saw the young boy immensely enjoying the company of Raiha. How come he had not seen the kid as happy as he was with Raiha than he had been with him? He had not directly said it but most of his allies knew that Koganei was one of his handpicked favorites.

The boy sensing his eyes turned to his former master. He met his gaze unflinchingly and said, "Ohayou, Kurei-sama." Kurei acknowledged him with a nod and beckoned all of them to the dining area of his splendid mansion. Kaoru waited for Kurei to completely turn his back. He, then, let a shiver pass throughout his body.

The Hokage clan did not let the opportunity to survey Kurei's mansion pass. It was a splendid old castle built on an island that was surprisingly unexplored yet. Nobody except Mikagami and Kagero, was bothered how it was though when all islands should have been named by now. They were contented knowing that the castle was safely built on a strong foundation. Not only that the castle was built by Uruja's power but it was also camouflaged by nature from the unfriendly eyes of government agents. The castle looked like it was embossed from the foliage and rocks of the mountains. Given its location, one could see approaching ships and discern whether it's an enemy or not. Since it was covered by mosses and boulders, passerbies could think that the castle was just a product of their imagination.

Its façade was nothing compared to its interior. It was a replica of the Uraboutousatsujin Battle Arena in terms of grandeur. Koganei could see his fangs clearly mirrored by the marble floor, carpeted at the middle. The pillars supporting the castle were made of cement, yes, yet untrained eyes the Hokage team had, they knew that each had gold and silver mixed with the structure. The ceilings with their multilayered chandeliers arched their way to heavens. Gold-plated lamps festooned the entrances to corridors and rooms. The windows served as live portraits of nature, framed with intricately carved marble.

_Kurei. Kurei loves grandeur. NO. Kurei is grandeur personified_, Recca thought with awe. How come his brother was rich and he was dirt poor, satisfied with the humble earnings his father had?

Fuuko tried tugging at a royal red curtain. It was quite heavy for a light-looking curtain. She made a mental note to ask Kurei if she could have at least one. It would be nice having those curtains adorn her bed. She saw a golden ring holding the curtain together like a ponytail. "Domon, is your nose ring missing? You can have one of these."

"This is the Fuuko-san that I like, ready to punch the nose-ring gorilla anytime," Kaoru Koganei said while trying to balance an empty flower vase with his Kougan Anki. Domon Ishijima tried to knock him with his knuckle but the younger kid just dodged it with a quick step. Good for him but not so good for the vase. It almost hit the floor but Mikagami saved with his shoe.

The Ensui wielder said through the corner of his lips, "Don't provoke gorillas, Koganei. They do more stupid things when they are angry."

"Mikagami, I heard you!"

"Domon-kun, it's not as if he's trying to hide it from you in the first place. Mi-chan has always been like that," Fuuko said, absentmindedly following the crowd as they went deeper into Kurei's castle.

Mikagami looked at Fuuko with wonder. It was one of the rare moments that the fuujin wielder actually sided with him. All right, she had bouts with Domon since the latter did not seem to stop his advances. However, she did not really despise the ringed master. Choosing between the tall, handsome, intelligent, Mr. Perfect Tokiya Mikagami and the brawny, good-for-nothing-looking, dumb Ring Master Domon Ishijima, she would rather go for the latter unlike the double-digit-IQ-ed fan girls that the Iceman had. No matter how stupid the argument was, as long as, it concerned her friends, Fuuko would go for them. That was why her remark was quite off key for her. Had she suddenly became smart—no, too harsh—intelligent—she was not that stupid—realistic?

"Fuuko-chan, when have you had the time to figure Mikagami out?" Recca grinned at his childhood friend. "Don't tell me you—"

"That will be quite interesting!" Yanagi Sakoshita exclaimed, speaking freely for the first time since they entered Kurei's domain. "Mikagami-kun and Fuuko-chan together…"

Fuuko slowly inched herself away from Mikagami and stared blankly at the healer. "Nope, nope, iie…thank you very much…"

All of them halted at what seemed to be a big hall. There was a long table at the middle, laden with food from the different parts of the world. Domon gulped, "This feels like heaven." Kaoru and Recca nodded in agreement. They had a good and filling lunch in the yacht but it seemed years ago now that they were shown a better bounty.

"Iie, this feels like Last Supper."

The three obviously hungry boys looked at Tokiya Mikagami stonily but before they could react, Kurei gave a hearty laugh.

"Just as I thought. My dear brother still lets his guard down in front of food. Haven't you learned anything?"

"Nani? So you are going to poison me? I didn't know you could sink lower!" Recca positively glowered at his half brother.

Kurei smirked at him. A purple aura emanated from his body. "I have better plans of defeating you, otouto."

Yanagi let out a gasp again and Kagero steadied her. Ganko whimpered, "Kurei-sama…" Kondo clutched at his master's skirt, willing to be subjected to her small punches than Kurei's fire.

One chair squeaked against the floor. All of them turned at the sound and saw Fuuko making her self comfortable at the far end of the table. She seemed unperturbed about the proceedings. "I don't know about you but I am going to eat. I'm famished."

Before anybody could stop her, she popped one tomato into her mouth. The Hokage Clan looked at her incredulously.

"Fuuko-san!"

"Fuuko-chan!"

"Fuu-chan!"

She swallowed hard and coughed. She sputtered and gasped for air. Ganko was at the verge of tears when Fuuko grabbed a goblet of water and sighed appreciatively. "That was one big tomato!"

"Don't scare us again, Fuuko-neechan!" Ganko shouted.

"Don't worry imotou, daijobou."

Recca sighed. "If Fuuko can eat it then I can't see any reason for us not to eat."

Mikagami still had doubts about it since the Fuuko he knew ate just about anything but he let Yanagi Sakoshita to pull to a chair for him beside the fuujin wielder.

"Itadakimasu!"

….

"This seems like a paradise!" Domon Ishijima yawned, patting his bulging stomach. The clan was traipsing to their rooms. "We have food, rooms, training grounds…this is a vacation…"

"I can't say anything better than that," Recca said sleepily, dragging his feet to the stairs. "I haven't been so full for a very long time."

"Pity pity, I can't eat so please stop talking about it!" Kondo screamed.

Kaoru prodded the stuffed animal with his forefinger. "I gave you food awhile ago but you refused it. Ganko will wash you anyway."

In all of these commotions, Tokiya Mikagami maintained his composure and acted as the senior who knew more than the others did which a matter of fact was true. He had a good discussion with Kagero about the grudges of ninjas.

After awhile, the excitement died down. Everyone wanted to go to bed but the night seemed too young to waste for such inactivity. They got tired of mocking Kondo and insulting each lost its appeal. At last, Recca snapped his fingers, indicating that he thought of something brilliant.

"Let's play cards."

"Hey, minna don't tell me you still haven't finished your game of cards?"

"Eh?"

"When I went to Kagero-san's house to confirm about this trip, you were playing with those?"

"Oh, we're having best of 5's in Poker daily," Recca calmly told the befuddled Fuuko. He started shuffling the cards and when satisfied, he distributed them equally to the competitors: Domon, Kaouru and himself.

Fuuko sighed. "I'll leave you alone then. I'll just sleep."

"You're not going to watch us? Fuuko-chan, I need you to cheer me up!" Ishijima interjected, leaving his cards unguarded from the opportunity-grabber, Kaoru.

"Iie. I'm afraid it is going to be pathetic for me to see my friends who can beat any enemy can't beat each other in a game of cards. Come on, Ganko, I think you need to sleep now."

Ganko obediently went beside her older sister and looked enviously at Kaoru who was concentrating on his cards with his tongue sticking out. Kaoru waved a hand at her and said, "I'll win the lot for you, Ganko-san, and we can show Fuuko-neechan that cards aren't that bad for kids."

"I know it's not half as bad as your Kougan-anki is. Demo, I think Ganko should pay more attention to sleep now if she wants to grow taller and as beautiful as her Yanagi neechan."

At the mention of her name, Yanagi Sakoshita woke up from her trance in looking at how Recca manoeuvred his cards here and there. She stood up blushing, "Oh, right. Gomen nasai, Recca-kun, I think, I'll go ahead and sleep."

"But Hime—"

"Don't worry, Recca, I'm with her," Kagero calmly put an end to her son's protests. She nodded to Tokiya and bowed to the others.

"Oyasumi!"

…

When she got back from the toilet after a warm shower, she saw Ganko already sleeping in her frocks and shoes. Fuuko smiled. She took Ganko's shoes off and put a blanket around her. She decided to hum a tune. She knew the younger girl was already in dreamland to appreciate her humble music but she did it to feel the essence of being a sister. When she was satisfied, she went to her own bunk and laid herself to sleep.

…only to be awakened by a flash of lightning and the sound of thunder.

She abruptly sat, panting. She automatically put a hand on her Fuujin. Scanning her surrounding, she found nothing different in the room. It was still the same luxurious room that looked so enormous she could fit two of her real bedrooms inside it. It was still as it used to be, undaunted by the rain. The only thing that changed was the time. It was eleven thirty.

Fuuko looked at her younger sister. The blonde headed girl was still fast asleep with one hand poking out from the blanket. The fuujin-wielder sighed. Everything was alright. But would it be?

His eyes flashed in her mind.

She shook her head to dissolve the image forming his mind. After fixing Ganko's blanket, she looked at the window. She parted the curtain to have a good view of the weather. It was hopeless. She couldn't see anything save from the velvety sheets of water pouring from the sky.

Since her mind refused the idea of sleeping, Fuuko decided to join the rest of the gang in the adjacent room. It was no good trying to go back to sleep now, she would just be fooling herself. She hoped under her breath that they were still awake. It had been just two hours since the women left them to play cards. _If they were asleep, I'll play with the cards myself._

Seeing there was no light coming from the small space between the door and the floor, she knew she would have to do as best as she could with the last option.

Imagine her horror when she opened the door and found a lamp on at the far corner of the room. It illuminated the silver hair of a sleeping Mikagami. He was cross-seated in front of what looked like a solitary game. A number of cards were still in his hand. _My, my. Mi-chan always looks graceful in any situation even in sleeping. _She vaguely thought how a person could know everything. **HE** could even play cards. But this must be his hobby since he was used to being alone.

Instead of asking the sempai to go to his room and sleep, she got a cushion and put it under his head. It did not mind her that one of Tokiya's eyebrow quirked when her hand had a contact with his nape. Intent was she in keeping him deeply asleep so she could play with the cards.

Fuuko looked at what Tokiya had been playing. She smirked. _Expect Mi-chan to play something new_. Since she could not think of anything new to do with the cards except for the Klondike, she decided to try and finish what Mikagami had started. Why were the cards abnormally many? Weren't there supposed to be four aces? She was seeing, six…no, seven. Mikagami was playing with two decks of cards?

Our Fuujin- wielder focused on unravelling the secrets of the House on the Hill, a type of solitaire played with two decks of cards. The aim of the player is two collect the series of 57 cards regardless of its original deck. Of course, Fuuko was not aware that it was called House on the Hill and it involved lots of rules and all.

It has been her hobby to learn things as how they could be applied in real life. That was why no matter how much her parents and teachers nagged her about studying, she did not give a damn. She used the same technique in the game.

"Kings: Recca, , Kurei…all right, Mikagami, and him…iie, make that Domon.

"Queens: Yanagi, … Who'll be Kurei's? Neon? Ah, yes…Then myself, and Kagero.

As she was mumbling, she noticed something about the cards. She turned one card to look at its back. It was blue. She remembered looking at another one awhile ago and it was red. Holding one fan of cards, she slowly and carefully turned them over.

"Two decks of cards on one table: Hokage and Uruja in one house," she whispered.

Tokiya Mikagami opened his eyes.

…

Probably because everyone was asleep, Tokiya Mikagami was feigning one, and Kirisawa Fuuko was so intent in playing Patience that nobody felt a subdued aura. No doubt that he was strong no matter how much the person wanted to conceal it. He tried to hide in the shadows but his eyes glitter every time a flash of lightning parted the dark clouds. He had been quietly waiting for his prey in the dark. Damn. It had been an unwilling prey. But who had heard of willing preys anyway? He was the victim in the first place. He was the unwilling predator. Another lightning flashed. He closed his eyes.

He heard a noise at the far end of the corridor. It was his master, still in his dark red robe.

"I couldn't help feeling your aura. I have to admit that it is disturbing. Is it because of the storm?"

"I myself am not sure, Kurei-sama."

"You don't know the source of your power? You make me laugh. Isn't it clear that it is inside the room that you're guarding so preciously?" Kurei smirked in the gloom.

Kurei heard the other man sigh. It made his smirk wider. "A caution: I don't care about your business with that girl. However, I invited my brother here for a purpose other than killing him."

"Hai, Kurei-sama."

Kurei turned and dissolved into the darkness.

The solitary soldier continued his musings. He needed not be reminded of that. He knew that already. He even promised that to his prey. He looked at the skies. He did not think that retrieving the Fuujin would be this difficult. But he must make a decision.

Raiha must.

**A/N****: I decided to use more serious titles to my fic…hehe…well I did warn you guys that I'd give you a long chapter…hope it was not dragging...hehe.**


	5. Chapter4: La Belle Lucie

**A/N: I have just finished the manga and it turned quite different from what I have expected it to be… I guess that goes the same for anybody who has seen the animation before the manga. I have just realized I made a fanfic based on the ending of the animation…a different SODOM…hehe…please don't bash me SODOM lovers.**

**Chapter 4: LA BELLE LUCIE**

A note: _Oi, mi-chan. Who gave you an idea that you can act? Hehe…Take care of Ganko for me. Arigatou._

Tokiya Mikagami's eyes were on this note for a while. Somehow, the message did not want to sink in. All Mikagami understood was the sender of the note obviously could jump high…or fly to have posted it on the first thing he could lay his eyes on upon waking: the ceiling.

He could not remember anything. He sat and found himself more surprised when he saw Ganko on the other bunk, sleeping. He wasn't in his room. This was getting funnier and funnier. The smartest member of Hokage found difficult to comprehend why he was in Fuuko Kirisawa's room. He was sure, Domon Ishijima or Fujimaru would be so happy to be in his place.

_Even Raiha._

But they could not blame him. It was not his fault that he was in that room. Tokiya put a hand on his nape and felt something that was not supposed to be there. A painful lump. With a blank expression, he started his journey through the events that happened three hours ago:

He had been playing a House on a Hill with Recca's and Domon's deck of cards. He had rested his eyes for a bit and thought of possible moves when the door opened. With his eyes close, he had felt for the presence of the intruder.

The aura had not been that intimidating. From the strength of the aura, he had figured that whoever it had been could be one of his comrades. To avoid speaking to him or her, he had feigned a sleep. He had felt the person hesitate to enter. Then the door had been closed. He had started breathing freely when he sensed the aura going near him.

He had been quite surprised when he felt soft long fingers lifting his head by the nape. Then a nice warm pillow had replaced those fingers and he had to admit that it was more comfortable sitting that way. It had made him drift to dreamland. Well, almost. Until his dream fairy spoke

"Kings: Recca, , Kurei…all right, Mikagami, and him…iie, make that Domon."

_Recca, King? No way! Kurei…well he does fit the character_, Mikagami had thought numbly. _And Domon? Kirisawa your choice can't really be called refined. And you don't have to reluctantly drag my name in your list of Kings because I don't like it either. _

Truth be told, he had been angry at her for two things more than being halfheartedly chosen as a king. First, she had been completely taking over his game under his very nose, and he had been letting it. And the second thing was she had dared touch him. Not that he wasn't used to her touch. She was the only one who could embrace him and slap him without giving a thought about his reputation as the unflinching ice block. However what he had felt awhile ago was neither a slap, nor a tactless bear-hug. It was something he was not expecting. And if there was a thing that Tokiya Mikagami did not like, it was confusion.

"Queens: Yanagi, … Who'll be Kurei's? Neon? Ah, yes…Then myself, and Kagero."

_Now, Kirisawa really was out of her mind. She, a Queen._ He had thought of eating his Ensui.

The Fuujin master had been quite for a while that he had been tempted to peek at what she had been doing when she heard her voice.

"Two decks of cards on one table: Hokage and Uruja in one house," she had whispered.

He had fully opened his eyes that time, not trying to hide his surprise at a realization coming from a person who rarely showed potential in analyzing things. She had shown analysis in battles, that was right. Were they in a battle, just like what he had been feeling? _Fuuko Kirisawa, how many surprises do you have under your sleeves or robes?_

He had been still thinking about this when he saw her slowly turning to look at him with a death glare.

"And what do you think you are doing TOKIYA MIKAGAMI?"

Everything had gone in slow motion. He had seen Kirisawa slapped the cards she was holding at the table. The Fuujin master had aimed a good slap that meant a real sleep. However, instead of dodging, he had felt his body relax and stay put as if waiting for contact. Then every thing went black.

As he went back to reality, he wondered who would win just in case he and Fuuko would have a one on one match. He pondered on how she could easily slap him any time and in any place she wanted to but he did not or cold not dodge her hand. _She really is the fastest member of Hokage_. He massaged his painful lump and decided to use his Ensui to teach the wind master a lesson.

He was about to leave when he became aware of a pair of big doll-eyes. He turned to Ganko, "You're awake."

Ganko timidly nodded and crawled near him, dragging the blankets with her. "Oniichan, oniichan, Fuuko-chan is—"

"Hai, I know, imotousan. Come, I'll bring you to Yanagi and Kagero-sama. Or would you rather play with with Kaoru-kun?" He added the question, scrutinizing Ganko's worried face. He thought a worried girl would not be really comforted by more worried ladies. Also, if his memory served him right, Fuuko had asked Ganko, who had been engrossed in watching Koganei play cards against older men, to sleep early. He thought that the latter suggestion could be a good treat. He was satisfied with his decision when Ganko's face brightened.

"I want to play with Kaoru-kun!"

Tokiya looked up above him and saw the note again. _Arigatou._ Well, he might as well do his best at this. He sighed, took a towel from the rack and put it around Ganko's shoulders. He then guided the little girl outside the room leading her by the hand.

….

"You're keeping the Fuujin's main stone all along?"

"I used it to seal the power of my Raijin."

They were talking, oblivious to the forces of nature beating their bodies. Both of them, being ninjas of their respective teams, were quite used to being beaten by their enemies. A little rain would not do any harm. Aside from that, they did not only control powerful madogous. They control powerful madagous that command weather.

Fuuko saw at the last moment that Raiha threw the orb to her. She caught it with the tips of her fingers and to her surprise it turned bright at her touch. _Kaze no Toma. _Finally, she had the jewel that would complete the Fuujin's power. She felt immense power emanating from her madogou but at the same time, she also thought that since the Fuujin, according to Raiha, used to seal the Raijin, then the latter would also be in its full power.

A part of her heart trusted herself that she could win this battle. Somehow she was not as near to death's door than before—not having the main stone of the Fuujin had really been a disadvantage. The Raijin, she knew, was a powerful madogou but if the Fuujin could control its power then she had even a 10 percent of possibility to live.

What made this a difficult battle was the person involved.

Raiha.

The person who saved her—and Domon—from eternal silence in a water hole.

The only one in the Uruha that she dared trust…even more than Kurei.

The one who resembled her ideal ninja—not a ninja but a knight in shining armour. A prince ready to save her.

"I can't understand. Why do we have to fight? Why do I have to fight?"

"Destiny."

"But I choose my destiny. And I choose not to fight."

Raiha broke their eye-contact. He found the bush being beaten by the rain and wind, more interesting than Fuuko. Slowly, he raised his right arm, showing the scorpion-like madogou attached to it. The orb of the Raijin glowed like an eye of a monster that did not have the opportunity to kill it s prey. Now it would definitely catch the evasive fur ball that the Fuujin was.

Fuuko stood on guard. She would not fight. She would just guard herself and maybe she could give Raiha a piece of her mind. One thing more, one thing, before she could fight.

"Is Kurei involved in this?"

"I serve him out of loyalty. However, it doesn't mean that in my every action lies Kurei-sama's plan. This is a more about which is stronger: Raijin or Fuujin."

"If that is what this is all about, you should have fought me in the Urabutousatsujin!" Fuuko shouted fiercely. "You should not have let this get so far." She clenched her fist so tightly that she already wounded her palm._ You should not have been nice._

The wind howled, as if waiting for an answer. The rain, it seemed, had better ideas than, ceasing.

Raiha smiled. "I thought your friends would not like to see you suffer in the battle."

A streak of lighting captured the scene as a roar of thunder answered the howling wind. The rain continued to pour.

Fuuko remembered the countless times Yanagi had cried for them to stop the fight in the Urabotousatsujin. She could still hear Domon's rage as she had been sucked, helpless, in Magensha's black hole. She could see the tears in Ganko's eyes as the younger girl pleaded for the enemies to have mercy. And how many times had she, Fuuko Kirisawa, bit her lips every time Recca had suffered a blow? How many times had she attempted to help Mikagami in his fight but stopped herself at the last moment? How many times had she controlled herself from using her power to save Koganei from falling? She remembered how she did not like watching her friends being wounded and she could not do anything about it.

_That__'s right. If they could see me fighting a losing game, they would suffer more_. Fuuko smiled. When was the last time she smiled? "Now you have convinced me. I'm going to fight, Raiha."

_I__'m going to fight for my friends. Not really because they need me but because I don't want them to suffer because of me._

_I have to apologize to Domon for taking his affection for granted._

_Koganei still has to pay me the money he took from my pocket yesterday._

_I__ have to ask Kagero about the secrets of the madogous._

_I still have to force Mi-chan to reveal his secrets for having long silky hair._

_I__ still have to ask Yanagi what she feels for Recca._

_I still have to kick Recca's ass!_

_A__nd Ganko…I still have to legally adopt her._

_I won__'t be defeated._

"I trust you Fuujin!" A furry ball went out of Fuuko's madogou, its blue eyes glowing against the darkness. Looking at it, Fuuko felt better. She faced Raiha with a smile on her lips. "I'll win this fight.

Raiha answered this declaration with his own smile. _Good, Fuuko-chan. I feel less guilty in dragging you into this._ Raiha aimed Raijin at Fuuko. "Can you grant me a wish, Fuuko? Spill my blood with Fuujin. "

"That is what I'm planning to do! HAYATE!"

The air current suddenly changed as Fuujin released a powerful gust that could destroy anything. Raiha seemed unperturbed. He calmly gazed at the approaching danger, raised a finger and dissolved it. However, the wind wielder was not done yet. She sent hurtling winds and darts at her opponent's directions.

She kept on moving, running and leaping from one place to another. She wanted to be unseen not to be saved from the attacks but to be saved from pity. She did not want him to see her cry. She was not going to let him know how difficult it was for her to fight him.

Raiha, on the other hand, drowned the beating of his heart with the noise of his attacks. With every electric bolt he sent her way, he hoped his guilt would diminish. He was thankful at the way she moved. She could not see how hard it was for him to aim correctly.

As in any battle, the fight had to end somewhere. What can best conclude a combat? An explosion: meeting of powers, a point where the opposing forces give their all, aiming only to finish, not the opponents, but the battle itself. Both sides know that after war comespeace, and if not peace, at least, satisfaction.

Both of them understood this. They were willing to give their all to finish a foolish game that destiny gave them. Enough of the strings. The clash between the Raijin and Fuujin was at last about to end.

"FURUMI KAZUCHI!"

"KAZA DAMA"

When their powers met, the skies roared its approval. Lightning bolts streaked the dark clouds in every second. Thunders hollered from different directions. The wind forced gigantic trees to bow and worship its unseen force. This was her and Raiha's destiny: to make a perfect storm.

Fuuko smiled sardonically. Yes, they complimented each other—in a destructive way.

_I have to stay strong, but __I think I can't handle it._

Every muscle in her body ached for rest. Her shoulders were heavy with burden of fighting Raiha and fighting her own will. She supported her right arm with her left but as she did so, she felt the ground tremble beneath her. As her knees began to shake, Fuuko felt slender hands snaked their way from her back. One, holding her by the waist, the other holding her hand with the fuujin. What she saw surprised her.

Those were not Recca's hands—the hands were longer. Nor those of Domon's—the hands were too slender. The person behind her slowly interlaced his fingers with hers.

Fuuko's eyes widened as the Fuujin's orb glowed brighter. The light began to eat the gloomy darkness of the storm. _But why do I feel cold? Isn't light often with heat?_ She felt giddy but the arms supporting her held her close that she was still able to stand. The last thing that she saw before the light totally blinded her eyes was the madogou between her hand and that of her supporter. It was the Dark Water: Ensui.

…

The storm began to give its last performance. The wind still swayed the trees and invited some leaves for a dance. The skies however took a break from its lightning display. A low rumble could be heard from a far. But amidst all these, Tokiya Mikagami heard a distinctive sound: a sound of a breaking glass. He turned. His cold light blue eyes met with a pair of deep violet orbs—_not unlike Fuuko's._

…

"You?"

TBC(haven't used this for a long time)

**A/N: ****Please give me pointers for making battle scenes. Hehe. BTW thanks to I was able to get my hands on the translated version of the manga. I got some lines and tips for battle scenes from the real Fuuko vs. Raiha chapters.**

**I hope our Ice Block isn't that OOC. **

**Thanks to SnowCharms who still reads this even after my hiatus.**

**To Suryasee who added this story to her faves –Sankyu So Much. (btw how's your test)**

**LBL: a kind of solitaire played with all the cards turned up. Mind you, the fact that you can see all the cards doesn't guarantee that the game is easy.**


	6. Chapter5: Intelligence

**A/N: A received a good number of rants for my cliff hanger…hihi...truth is, I had already thought about this part even before "La Belle Lucie." This was supposed to be a part of the previous chapter. I have decided to exclude this from La Belle Lucie because of the differences of the solitaire types. And well, I like a fair short chapter(evil grin). Wah. I am about to be done. I hope you'll hang on there…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any (nor do you) just the fic. I wish I could own Tokiya Mikagami in real life though.**

**Solitaire 5: INTELLIGENCE**

He took a big breath. He was still alive. He could still fell the drizzle on his face. He could still see the dark trees against the even darker skies. He had thought that he would win the battle. However, at the point where he had been sure that he was going to destroy Fuujin, he had felt cold. He remembered seeing a tall water spout that looked more like a column of ice. _Waterspout?_ He did not know that the Fuujin could create such. Then, she defeated him. How, he was not sure. One thing he was sure of: he was still alive.

He could feel his arm tingling. As he sat up to check it, he barely saw the dead eye of his madogou, the Raijin, one of the most powerful madogous ever made, before it totally turned into dust.

He sighed, a happy and contented one. At last it was finished.

A movement from the side of his adversary caught his eyes.

He saw a tall, long-haired someone, holding a sleeping Kirisawa Fuuko in his arms. How he missed seeing that peaceful sleeping face. How long had it been when he rescued Fuuko from the stupid reservoir. Hadn't she said something about a prince saving her? Hadn't he promised himself to be that prince?

To avoid being eaten by his own bitterness, he looked at the person holding his hime. That person had been the one who also helped Fuuko in the last battle. That person was also the last one that Raiha had expected to do so. Tokiya Mikagami. "You?"

The silver-haired bishounen glared at him.

"Anou, I mean…you?"

A sweat drop appeared on Tokiya's forehead. He had to admit that he found it difficult to comprehend such "meaningless" reaction from a seasoned ninja. Was it just him or people around him become more and more perplexed? "So?"

Raiha's started to chuckle. "Gomen. It is just that I did not expect you to do this much for Fuuko. All along, I had been expecting Domon-chan or Recca-kun…but looking back at it, how would Fuuko create waterspout in the first place?

"So the Ensui can also get its source from the rain?"

"It's water all the same," Tokiya stoically answered. _Are you really this baka?_ "To satisfy your curiosity which you didn't even put an effort to hide, I think I am the most informed, next to Kagero, about the unspoken battle between the Raijin and Fuujin."

"Not to mention that you are the most observant—"

"Isn't it quite ironic that it came from you?"

"No, it isn't. Because I am quite observant too. I saw you reading books about the Hokage ninjas…"

Mikagami nodded. He had been able to get his hands on some books about the Hokage. In addition to that, Kagero had been so kind enough to tell him stories about the clan. At the time that the other members of the Hokage Team were fooling around, he was having a good conversation with Hanabishi's okaasan about the ninjas who had deserted the seventh generation leader as he fought tooth and nail against the clan's pursuers.

_And Raiha was a descendant of those cowards. _"That was why I was already expecting for something like this to happen."

Another deafening silence reigned. The fluttering leaves created small noises. Small rumbles of thunder from a dying storm resound from time to time.

"If that is the only thing you want to say then…" Tokiya easily lifted Fuuko, nodded at Raiha and started to make his way to the castle.

"Matte."

Mikagami stopped from his tracks and half-turned, giving the purple-haired guy a side-way glance. The Uruja ninja smiled, a solemn one and when he spoke, his voice was of a person who had resigned from a losing battle. It was hollow, an echo of an unspeakable past.

"Please take care of Fuuko-chan."

The Ensui master deliberated with himself about the best response to this. After all, Tokiya Mikagami was a walking ice-block. It was not his hobby to throw comforting words to anyone who needed them. He faced Raiha squarely. "Do you know the difference between a ninja and a prince?"

Befuddled, the purple-haired ninja looked at him.

"There is a big difference between a prince and a ninja. A prince can only serve the princes as long as he holds the title."

"Or as long as he chooses…"

"That is an **OR**. A ninja serves a princess as long as his vow takes him **AND** as long as he chooses to. There is a big difference."

"I see what you mean, Mikagami. A prince can lose his title. But a ninja does not break his oath."

Mikagami nodded. A short silence followed as a breeze passed by. "The question is: what are you, a ninja or a prince?"

Raiha looked from Tokiya to Fuuko. She used to call him prince. He used to feel that way. He could still feel it and after that life threatening battle between the Fuujin and the Raijin he thought he could finally summon the courage to be her real prince.

_My prince_.

His usual calm and sometimes warm features were streaked with pain. However, before he could answer, Mikagami voiced his thoughts out. "You don't have to answer."

"What about you Mikagami?"

"Nani?"

"Are you a prince or a Ninja."

"I may look like a prince…but I am a ninja…a Hokage ninja," he added the last one as an after thought. Somehow, he felt as if Raiha was trying to drive something. "Please don't have the idea that I have a romantic reason for doing this."

"Iie, I am not," Raiha replied with a shake of his purple tresses, but his eyes glinted a different meaning from what his lips had said. "The wind cannot be owned by anybody."

"So desu ka. It goes anywhere it wants to."

Tokiya left Raiha with, "I have to get going. She's getting heavier," said in a monotone that was natural to the Hokage's Iceblock. Raiha laughed. But when he was alone, his laugh turned into a mirthless one. He still had to learn many things about being a man. The passing wind sighed, as if in agreement.

…

"Where have you been all this time?

He was welcomed by anxious faces upon his return. He was still deciding whether he should be touched or not when he heard Domon Ishijima's howl.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FUUKO-CHAN? WHAT DID YOU DO WITH HER?"

"Ishijima, my ear I'm afraid is not the shape of a telephone receiver. Don't you yell at me."

Domon grabbed the collar of the bishounen to the horror of the other Hokage ninjas. "What happened to Fuuko?"

For the first time in history Mikagami saw death grinning at him through Ishijima's eyes. _Must be the new contact lenses._ He decided not to push his case of democracy to someone who was obviously and exaggeratedly concerned for the Fuujin Master.

"She was just battered by the rain outside. She needed rest…my arms, not to mention my neck, need it too."

Domon loosened his death grip on the collar of Mikagami's expensive looking suit. He doubted whether he could pay for it with the money he could make from selling flowers. Aside from that, Mikagami himself was at the last straw of his patience. He was the one who saw and returned Fuuko in the first place. And he was still carrying her.

Mikagami was slightly surprised when the burden on his numbing arms grew lighter. He was barely aware that the bigger guy already had Fuuko in his arms.

"I'll carry her. You look weak…" Domon muttered, avoiding the Ensui wielder's eyes. "Yanagi-san, can you cure her?"

"I'll do my best."

Yanagi followed Domon to Fuuko's room. Before the rest could follow, Domon let out another ear-splitting howl.

"MIKAGAMI!"

"Domon-kun is so fired up, neh?" Kaoru said, scratching the end of his nose. "Why is he especially annoyed at you, niichan?" He looked up at the taller guy who was then trying to hide his fatigue.

Tokiya meanwhile was trying to remember what he did to make Ishijima so angry. He used to not mind if the other guy was pissed of him but surely, this time, Fuuko's number one male fan—since Ganko was the number one female fan—was extremely angry. The poor Ice-block suffered the fatigue that he had been hiding since he learned about the trip, looking for Hokage's history, trying to think like Kurei to decipher the latter's plans, and scrutinizing each action showed by the Uruja. He suddenly had a mental block.

Then, as abruptly as his mental block started, he saw a note on his mind, posted on the ceiling, written with determined penmanship:

_**Oi, mi-chan. Who gave you an idea that you can act? Hehe…Take care of Ganko for me. Arigatou.**_

_K'so… Fuuko's note._

He had left it earlier to tell Fuuko that he did not like receiving notes, no matter how clever they were delivered to him. He had planned to let her get her own trash. He had not expected that it would cause trouble in the part of the Gorilla.

"Why don't you just tell them what you have discovered?" Kagero encouraged him.

Everyone looked at Mikagami, promising him that it was going to be a long night.

The story went not as bad as he thought it would be. Recca tricked Domon not to listen to the discussion by saying that Fuuko needed him the most.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him!" Recca gave a thumbs-up to the group who nodded their approval.

Kagero filled in the gaps where Mikagami refused to continue. The latter thought it best to trust intimate details regarding Fuuko and Raiha's relationship to the one who could see and say them objectively. Even so, his teammates congratulated him for his discovery. Heaps of the praise came from Koganei, tons of gratitude came from Ganko, and loads of back thumps came from Recca. The best reward came from Yanagi who emerged from the patient's room.

"Arigatou for saving and returning Fuuko-chan to us, Mikagami-senpai," she smiled as she held him by the hand, beads of tears held back at the corner of her eyes.

"So you are saying that Fuuko doesn't know anything about Raiha's bloodline yet?" Recca said to bring the conversation back to the topic and partly to detach his hime from his possible love rival.

Mikagami, sensing Recca;s intentions answered with his usual stoic façade, "Yes. More importantly, it's better for her neither to know nor to remember anything."

"I agree with Mikagami. It is _best_ for her not to dwell in what has happened."

A familiar voice said from the shadows in the room. The host of the trip deliberately welcomed himself to the Hokage's conversation. He strode past them toward the hall's window and drew the curtains himself to let the first rays of the sunrise come in the room.

"Kurei…"

Kurei only smirked at his half-brother's surprise. Ganko rushed to him and begged to be lifted to see the sunrise better. He carried her on his shoulders, not minding how tightly the little girl clutched a handful of his hair.

Then it was his turn to be surprised as Kaoru ran to him and shouted, "Hey, hey, Ganko-chan, it's my turn!"

…

She could hear their frantic voices trying to wake her up. She heard Ganko's sob beside her. She heard Kaoru's jokes and comforting words… Yanagi's sniffs…Domon's endless bawls of endearments and romantic promises, Recca's admonishments and news.

However, she did not open her eyes. She did not know for how long she pretended to sleep. She just felt she did not want to see anyone in particular. It was a battle of her feelings, a battle against herself. Surely, she could handle this battle on her own.

There was only one voice she wanted to hear… the voice that used to comfort her… the same voice that told her that she was about to die.

When she felt that there were no prying eyes that would try to assure her that everything would be all right, she opened the lids that cover he violet orbs. It was dark, possibly night time. She was alone. Yanagi had asked Ganko to sleep with her earlier.

_That Yanagi…she sure has her own heroic times…_

Then she let everything in her heart pour out. She shed tears that she did not know she could shed. _Geez, I could fill a dams…I wonder if I could donate these tears to Mikagami so he could use it for his Ensui…_she humored herself, trying to contain an internal storm. It was impossible…and she was losing.

"Who gave you an idea that you can act?"

She choked a sob as she sharply inhaled. Someone was in the room, someone she did not expect to be there. "Mi-chan?"

The room's corner near the foot of the bed glowed with the light that had just been turned on. It was indeed the know-it-all, bishounen Ice-block of the team, sitting at the soft chair, his hand raised to show her a deck of cards.

"Let's play poker."

…..

"Oh? Nanda? Fuuko-neechan's room's lights are on?" Ganko noticed as she passed the corridor to get to the comfort room. Yanagi put a finger on her lips to hush the child up.

"Hey, Ganko, do you want to play?" Kaoru yelled from the far end of the hall. He ran toward Yanagi and Ganko in a playful manner, as if he was to beat them up with his Ensui. "I am not yet…sleepy." He finished his sentence with a subdued voice after receiving a rare glare from the healer.

Yanagi pointed a finger at Fuuko's room and Kaoru understood. She then opened her room's door and let the children in. The rest of the Hokage were also there.

"Why can't we still see Fuuko-chan?" Kaoru asked. "I think she is awake now. Tokiya-niichan is with her, right?"

"Just let her be for now," Recca said, stifling a yawn. "Why don't we just play here?"

"It is unfair! How come Mikagami is talking to my Fuuko? I was the one who took care of her. Why is Mikagami there?"

"Because we all think that Fuuko can only say anything she has to say to someone who will not pity her," Kagero quietly said while looking in her Ekai ball, deciding whether she was going to use it or not to look at how things were going in the other room.

Domon scrutinized each of his friends' faces. The youngest members of the group looked at each other. Kaoru untied the handkerchief from his hand and gave it to Ganko who started to become teary eyed at her neechan's situation. Yanagi as usual, in emotional times preferred to hide her face in her hands. "Kisama, Recca do you believe in this?"

Recca solemnly nodded. "I am afraid I don't have the ability to pretend that I don't care that much." He clenched his fist so tightly that Domon was forced to keep his mouth shut.

"Er…last question…."

All eyes were turned to him. "Why do I have to be tied?"

In fact, all along Domon Ishijima was tied down by Recca, the latter holding the end of the rope that would send the first free.

Recca started to grin. "First, for you not to disturb Fuuko…"

Kaoru gave his senpai a toothy smile, baring his cat-like fangs. "Second, for us to have something to play with."

And with that, the two look-alike bounced here and there and try to knock out their "prisoner" to Yanagi's horror and to Ganko's amusement.

Kagero only smiled at her son's childishness and hid the Ekai ball. Nope. She did not need it.

…

"Are you sure of your decision?"

"Hai, Kurei-sama. I think I could do with some rest."

"Well, there is nothing I can do about it…aside from that I don't want a weakling as my ally," Kurei said it too nonchalantly that his conversation partner looked up at him abruptly. He chuckled. "Get back as soon as you feel like it."

Raiha bowed to his master for several years. He turned to go when he heard him speak again, "By the way, have you bid your princess goodbye?"

Raiha smiled. He took a step to the door…and another…then three succeeding steps then went out of the mansion completely, walking away from his master, his companions, away from Fuuko. With every step, he weighed his courage and the possibility of going back to what he would leave behind.

…

Fuuko lifted her head from the tear-stained blanket that she was using to wipe her tears. Her emotions had been gushing like water from a broken dam ever since she decided to open her eyes. She felt better knowing that it was Mikagami who was seeing her tears and not the rest of the gang. Somehow, she was not destroying the image she had been trying to put up in front of her friends. Recca, Kaoru and Domon knew her to be a tough girl. Yanagi, Kagero and Ganko believed that she was a strong girl, a woman who could protect not only herself but also her friends. She did not want them to think that she was a cry baby. Tokiya always had seen her as just an annoying monkey. It would not be much of a difference. With that in mind, she liberated herself from the chains that had wanted her to hide.

Anyway, she learned that the sun shines the brightest after a storm.

_TBC_

**A/N: I am not fond of happy endings, but I sure love a satisfying one. Last chapter coming right up so stay tuned…**

**Intelligence-a version of La Belle Lucie which focuses on the aces as foundation…Aces remind me of Raiha and Mikagami, that's why…hehe**


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